2 Dead After Officer-Involved Shooting In Douglas County

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Two people are dead and a sheriff’s deputy is recovering after taking a bullet in his kevlar vest during an officer-involved shooting Monday night in northwestern Minnesota.

Just before 9:20 p.m., a Douglas County deputy responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the driveway of a home on 50th Avenue Southeast in Hudson Township, the county sheriff’s office said.

When the deputy arrived at the scene, he found two people inside a four-door sedan. The deputy made contact with the people, and one of them fired at the deputy, hitting him in the chest. The deputy returned fire, possibility hitting the suspects, who then drove off down the driveway.

Almost immediately, the sedan got stuck in the snow after going off road, officials said. The suspects then fled on foot into the woods and continued to fire at the deputy. After that, an extensive search for the suspects began.

After four hours of searching, a State Patrol helicopter with infrared imaging found the suspects in deep snow near an outbuilding about 200 yards from the sedan. Officers then approached the suspects, finding both of them dead, with guns near their bodies.

The sheriff’s office tentatively identified the suspects Tuesday as a 29-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man. Both are from North Dakota. Their names and causes of death will be released by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the deputy — a three-year veteran with previous law enforcement experience — was wearing a bullet resistant vest and was treated for injuries at the Douglas County Hospital and released.

“Not only am I happy,” said Sheriff Troy Wolfersen, “but every member of this office is very happy that he was able…that the deputy was able to go home.”

The deputy has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard in this type of investigation.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the shooting.